Advent Calendar 101
Advent Calendar: 24 packages of delicious delights
The anticipation of the holidays is real. Germany has this lovely tradition of Advent Calendars to hold you over until the big day.
Some of the wonderful items you can find at Island-ish.
On December 1, kids (or let’s face it, adults) would wake up to find their advent calendar, and each day, find a treat until no more windows are left and Christmas Eve is upon us.
Our family has always been on the crafty side, and my kids grew up with homemade advent calendars. Making an advent calendar for your kids or partner is actually not difficult at all, but it does require a little bit of time, planning, and creativity but is worth the surprise.
When making your own calendar, you want to give it some thought about how you want the finished calendar to be displayed. If you want to hang it on a wall or something you can put on a table. There is really no wrong way to do it, but it will impact the type of bags or boxes you should get. Some ideas could include, envelopes, small gift bags, socks, a small paper or cloth pouches, even toilet paper rolls can work. Sometimes making the 24 bags yourself is great, but sometimes you just want to spend your focus on filling them.
When kids are younger, individually wrapped chocolate bars or snacks, small age-appropriate toys, trail mix or cookies are all great options. When making an advent calendar for teenagers, adult children, or a partner you can get really creative depending on your budget. Make it 24 days of local treasures or booze, experience vouchers, or inspirational quotes. There is really no wrong way as long as you keep the person in mind who it is for.
For the sweet tooth in your life, we are offering a limited series Advent Calendar filled with an assortment of cookies and small treats.
Greeting Cards from Common Foundry
If you are in Nanaimo and are looking for some great advent calendar gift ideas, we would recommend stopping by Island-ish for anything from soaps, magnets, candles, holiday ornaments and so much more. Common Foundry is a locally-owned stationary store with a beautifully curated store of anything for your stationary-loving person. Cultured Coast is another great store to find some west coast inspired apparel and gifts. These are just a few store options, but there are so many more locally owned stores that could provide you with inspiration while filling your 24 bags.
Here are a few more:
If material things aren’t your thing, you could choose a selection of local experiences, anything from gift cards to a coffee shop or a shared meal at a restaurant or an activity such as a romantic picnic on the beach, or a thrilling bungee jump. The options are almost endless.
Advent calendars do not have to cost a lot of money! It is the gesture of creating something that is tailored to the person you are gifting it to, so if you are on a budget, how about coming up with free activities you can do together: breakfast in bed, movie night on the couch, walk along the beach, fancy homemade dinner, or anything else that would make them happy. Inspirational quotes are also always a cute way to show you care.